Nicholas’s superpower: a legacy of hope
Turning heartbreak into hope: the Nicholas Richard Collins Superhero Foundation takes on grassroots fundraising with the Jimmy Fund to honor young Nicholas.
Nicholas was a superhero—in his life and his legacy. He continues to inspire others to be brave, energetic, and fearless.
Nicholas Richard Collins. Two years old. Giver of the best hugs. Bouncing around from room to room. Obsessed with all things superheroes—especially Spider-Man.
“It’s important to say his name, to remember his name,” says Nicholas’s grandfather, Mike Collins, “because Nicholas is just one of 15,000 children who are diagnosed with pediatric cancer each year in the U.S.”
It was just after Nicholas’s second birthday when a routine check-up and bloodwork led to an emergency trip to the hospital for an unthinkable diagnosis: acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL), a rare and aggressive bone marrow cancer.
“The treatment was going to be rough, and the prognosis was not promising,” Mike recalls. After initial treatment and a bone marrow transplant, Nicholas was referred to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for further care. For three months, Mike joined Nicholas and his parents on each journey to and from Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic during his treatments.
Even in the hardest moments, Nicholas maintained his superhero persona. He ran, played, and showed off his best Hulk smash and Spider-Man moves. But ultimately, his AMKL proved untreatable. Nicholas passed on April 16, 2022, just before his third birthday and only 10 months after his initial diagnosis.
“Grief is something we are experiencing in real time,” Mike says. “The devastation is immense.”
The Collins family needed an outlet to channel their grief, honor their superhero, Nicholas, and help other families facing pediatric cancer. In 2022, Mike’s daughter, Tera Kull, and her husband, Drew, along with the family, established the Nicholas Richard Collins Superhero Foundation (NRCSF) to help fund pediatric cancer care and research and grief support programming at Dana-Farber.
“Less than 4% of all cancer funding goes to pediatric cancer. This is the world’s most vulnerable population we’re talking about. We need better treatments—and better care for families facing incredible loss.”
Mike has found renewed purpose in organizing engaging grassroots fundraising events in partnership with the Jimmy Fund.
“The Jimmy Fund is a safe harbor, a reputable and pioneering organization,” he says. “It’s an easy, wonderful way to raise money for the things we are passionate about by doing what we are passionate about.”
First, the foundation established the Nicholas Richard Collins Memorial Tournament, a golf event organized in partnership with Jimmy Fund Golf presented by Mohegan Sun. Fundraising through golf was a natural choice for Mike, who is closely connected to his local golf community. Each May, friends and family gather on the course for a great day of golf and some fun challenges, like a long drive and putting contest. Since 2023, the tournament has raised more than $334,000 for Dana-Farber cancer research and grief and bereavement services.
September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, and Mike seized the opportunity to host another fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund. He established the NRC Superhero Foundation Push-Up Challenge, which incorporated fitness and health into spreading awareness about the vast impact of pediatric cancers.
The goal was to have participants complete a combined 15,000 push-ups, one for every child diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. each year. The community, led by a group of physical fitness fanatics from South Boston—in true superhero fashion—took the challenge to another level. One triathlon athlete achieved 5,000 push-ups alone! A group of 19 students from the University of Rhode Island took a break from beach-lounging to drop down and do a full minute of push-ups each.
By the end of September, 40 participants had cranked out more than 24,000 push-ups and raised more than $11,000 for the Jimmy Fund.
Mike and his team are always thinking of new and engaging ways to involve their community in honoring Nicholas’s legacy and supporting Dana-Farber, like the 50/50 raffle by the Boston Bruins Foundation at a game in September or a March Matchness-themed fundraiser.
“Fundamentally, it’s healing for me,” Mike says of partnering with the Jimmy Fund. “Grief isn’t linear; it comes in waves. Sharing our emotional story and why we are so passionate about cancer care and research is just as important as raising the funds. Why we need the support comes across in each interaction I have.”
Nicholas Richard Collins. To say his name is to keep his legacy alive. The Collins family is committed to doing just that, by raising awareness about pediatric cancer, managing grief, and ensuring other families are positively impacted by their beloved Nicholas’s journey.
Join Jimmy Fund community members like Mike in supporting Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s lifesaving mission to provide compassionate patient care and groundbreaking cancer research for children and adults.
Since 1948, the generosity of millions of people has helped the Jimmy Fund save countless lives and reduce the burden of cancer for patients and families worldwide through community-based fundraising events and other programs that solely and directly benefit Dana-Farber. Learn more about how you can get involved at JimmyFund.org, and follow the Jimmy Fund on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram: @TheJimmyFund.
